If I were you I would go someplace like here "The Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky" in your own state. I read they have over 1500 varieties of roses.
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/arboret...
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/arboret...
The letter "C" on the map is where the rose garden is located.
I am on Long Island zone 7 - lots of humidity when you are surrounded by water. I am only a few blocks away. If you get hot here, you jump in the water - lol. Here's a list of HT I have in my garden. Most are grafted, a few are own root (OR). I will place the letters "OR" next to the named roses.
Carolina Victoria OR
Charles de Gaulle tiny bit of BS showed up towards end of last summer
*Chrysler Imperial
*Double Delight
*Electron
*Fragrant Cloud
La Rose Optimiste
Midas Touch
Mr. Lincoln
Peace
Pope John Paul ll
Rosemary Harkness OR very slow growth
Traviata OR
Velvet Fragrance OR
*Tineke
I did spray my entire garden (everything) with Oxidate twice. Oxidate is organic. Used Mill's Rose fertilizer and Neptune Fish Emulsion.
The ones marked with "*" I have had for over 15 yrs. and for at least 10 yrs. did NOT receive any care because I was working alot.
Grandiflora's:
Cherry Parfait OR
Eliza OR
Lagerfeld OR
South Africa
Since you seem to be favoring purples and mauves. Poiseden, Ebb Tide (OR), Charles de Gaulle, Reine de Violettes, Stormy Weather (climber) and Blueberry Hill (OR) all do well here. You might want to consider Let's Celebrate as it is a non stop blooming machine here. Midnight Blue (OR) is cute as a button but it like Scentimental gets bad BS here. I have provided photos of all mentioned in the database. Margie,NY
